


Azula and Zuko talked in a bad circumstance

by oddopus



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Gen, Reconciliation, Redemption
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:00:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25132027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oddopus/pseuds/oddopus
Summary: It takes Zuko getting kidnap for the sibling to talk.
Relationships: Azula & Zuko (Avatar), suggested Azula/Mai
Comments: 3
Kudos: 33





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like the end of them finding their mother would have been a opportune scene to begin their reconciliation and Azula's 'sort-of' redemption. BUt the comic writers were like nope so I have to sit on my ass and wrote something.

Zuko blinked into consciousness. A chuckle escaped, waking him from a pleasant nap. His surrounding is scarce of life and light, perhaps saved for a sneaky sunray from somewhere above his head. It was a dirt cave enlocked by a single gate. Perhaps if he squinted, Zuko would have realize that the gate was in fact a product of polished earthbending but his eyes were still warpy from the sleep.

His entrapment was thick layers of soil atop one another, inside of which there were thumps specifically pressed at some of the chi points disabling his movement and firebending. In all honesty, it was a bad indication of his impedicament. Zuko breathed a sigh. He scanned the surrounding with a clearer mind and pondered whether he should find an escape andd return to the Fire Kingdom before the sun set and disabling his vision completely.

Honestly? Zuko kind of didn’t want to return. The crown of the Fire Lord grated at his mind and he questioned his humanity everytime he saw himself anywhere. How does one approach a benevolent ruling of a country bred and breathed in blood and violence? (Hey advisor, what is this clause for? My Lord, to suppress those with any intention against the nation before there may even be a spark. So you jailed people for thoughts? And much less, my Lord. For the nation.)

Maybe he would be rescued like a damsel in distress, thought Zuko. Maybe Mai, though he’s not quite sure. Her hands were tied as a newly elected general, grappling with the palace politics and training a new deathly squad. Ty Lee was on a journey of her own training alongside the Kiyoshi warriors, and she seemed content by the sound of her letters to Mai. He hoped Aang and the others never caught wind of this. The last he spoke with any of them, he exploded in their faces for reasons born completely out of his own incompetence and unstability, which he regrettably was still struggling with. Honestly, there are a lot of problems on Zuko’s hand it’s unfair that he doesn’t see any answers.

“Maybe at least a clue?” propped Zuko, to the universe. Because he talked with them now apparently.

“If you need a clue to get out of that trap, you’re even more pathetic than I previously thought.”

Zuko didn’t see a figure to accompany the voice, the light had ripened into orange and lit above of his head. But he knew that voice in his seceond-to-worse nightmares. It was grace and power, threaded very finely. Like light, or maybe fire, or maybe smoothie. Anyway, his situation just went down the sewer really fast.

Azula clicked her tongue and lit a small blue fire near her face. She scowled with her eyebrows. Zuko thought she looked like she wanted something and was being very impatient for it. So Zuko asked, “Hello Azula, what do you want?”

Azula scowled some more and looked very disappointed. So obviously that was not what he should have said. To his surprise, she maintained an expectant look so he still had to do or say something. Zuko honestly didn’t know. So it’s wack-a-mole from here. “How are you doing?”

She raised her eyebrow a bit. Okay so this Azula is obviously wack and made completely of his delirious mental. Zuko’s kind of confused though, he thought he would have imagined Azula a tad more crazy and powerful and unstable. Mind you, that’s just Azula in real life. He was obviously a shitty shitty brother, but not in the aspect that he would paint her as a deranged villain with no foundations.

“Is this a show?” Azula prompted “A bit to lure me out? Is that it?” the question sounded genuinely inquisitive and devoid of anger.

“I woke up here.” Replied Zuko. Maybe he shouldn’t haved. Talking to an imaginary figure is just a bad sign. But it feeled very rude if he just blatantly ignored a question directed at him.

Azula sat down, sqaured on the floor facing him. She wore dark clothes now, rather than the signature crimson of Fire nation royalty. The small blue fire was rathe stable but its shine on her face, flickering in flashes, make her seemed rather thinned down. Or perhaps it’s not a light’s trick and she was growing out of her baby fat. Zuko didn’t even know if Azula had baby fat. She may as well be an accomplished twenty something when he was sixteen.

Moonlight draped softly on the nooks of the cave. It seemed a beautiful night for tea and games, away from Fire Lord duties. Zuko can’t say he love the taste of tea but there’s something aout the gragrant bitter taste that just eased the body and mind. He rather wished he had some tea and sweets right now, drinking with Azula now that she was just steps away and seemed awefully, suspiciously calm is his presence.

“You learned redirection.” Claimed Zuko, in the midst of reminiscing their latest encounter.

“Naturally. Do you honestly believe that you could best me at firebending? Dream along.” Azula unfolder her arm to flick a stray hair. She no longer has that flawless look about her appearance. Rather, there’s a rulyness shimmering underneath.

“No,” Zuko chuckled a bit. He danced with dragons and sill had believed he would have needed the help dealing with her. “It’s just impressive, is all. I had uncle teach me. You must have done that on your own.”

Azula seemed quite fazed by how Zuko accepted her superiority in power. Zuko used to get quite taunted, and later disheartened about the fact. It felt like losing the upperhand when she was, in fact, having the upperhand. She had honed her skills beyond the imagination of firebenders of Zuko’s caliber and, not simply refined, but invented and updated. She had sought strategies to mask firebending’s shortcomings against other bendings, going as far as stealing and deciphering scrolls upon scrolls of runes. Composure used to be her place and she hated seeing Zuko in it.

“Hey. You’re here now. I may as well ask. How would you do it?” Zuko woke her out of her own scorn.

“Clarity, please.”

“How would you rule the Fire nation?” Zuko seemed caught in his thought for a moment. “Not the way that you and dad do. But, nicely. And not, conquer and conquest.”

“Why would I do such a stupid thing? May as well let it fall on its own.” Azula folded her arms in even a tighter grip and sharpened her glared, which was kind of softened by the pale light but she got the message across. “You unravel the very fibers of a nation and expect to suceed? Quite foolish and typical of you.”

“It’s not.” Zuko squeaked out. He tried not to hammer on his words. He didn’t want to be baited by Azula, especially considering this was the most peaceful conversation he had had and maybe never again. His thought rattle back and forth nevertheless. He had thought the same as her, so how would he prove otherwise? But still he loved this nation strangely and was it so much a wrong thing to want the nation he loved so dearly flourish and not grappled with the terror of war? So he asked his sister.

“Naïve. You were always like this, Zuko. Naïve and gullible.” Azula pitied him with a bit of insults. But she had long given up trying to correct her brother’s thinking. It’s beyond redemption and she would not want to pretend otherwise any longer, brother or no. She looked at him trapped in the dune for a moment and, suddenly, she was rushed with the feel as if she had all the time in the world. It had been a while since she just felt the night wind brush against her cheek so, she may as well entertain her pitiful brother for a moment.

“What would you want it to be?”

Zuko gazed as her for a bit. He looked resigned. Azula didn’t quite realize with what though. “I want it to be peaceful. I want its people to live well.” Every ruler ever wanted that Zuko “just, not at the expense of other nations.”

Azula was stilll expecting something. Perhaps she was used to working with competent and composed strategists of the palace so she was expecting something similar from Zuko now as well. She looked like a general.

Zuko didn’t have much left to talk but the pressure was still on him to talk. “Do we really have to? Firebending has such power, such potential.” He gazed over to Azula, perhaps expecting agreement, but she was still listening intently. So he continued “And dad, he spurred on a whole wave of engines and machinations. It should all have been enough. Why weren’t that enough?”

“It’s not about enough. It’s about what more we could have. And we could have so much more.” Azula replied, patiently explaining to the toddler in front of her.

Zuko stared. He didn’t quite register what Azula just said. There’s suddenly a gamble in his head. On the one hand, a peril to his ideology and the dream he had for the Fire Nation and, on the other,

He looked at Azula for a moment. She expected more defendance from him, it seemed. He looked at her for a second longer. Out of this cave, where would she go? Will Zuko ever see her again? Both of them know deep in their heart that Zuko wouldn’t abandon the Fire Lord post to chase her down, despite his stellar tracking skill.

“Azula, what do you s-”

“-NTRUDER.” Yells from outside the cave knocked in. It grows to be quite a commotion in a short second. Azula sneered. She jumped right beside the door to the cave. The ground rumbled and the gate sunk into the ground. A woman in vaguely Earth tribe clothing stepped in, followed by another wrapped head to toes in black. “The Fire Lord is still here.” She held a steel gaze on Zuko. “Look for the intruder. They must still be in this area.” The other minions behind her disperse as her words. She glanced at a young man in normal attire, saving for a red sack of cloth. “You stay.”

Azula had sprung atop in the midst of the commotion. As the two figure approached Zuko, she moved behind them. Frankly, Zuko had no idea what she was doing or going to do. “What do you want?” He glared at the two kidnappers. He assumed. Azula held back a smirk, at least she was entertained from her uncomfortable front seat, he guess.

The one in earth attire chuckled, “No need to be impatient, Fire Lord. We have a long story ahead of us. Would you want some tea?” She cocked her head behind. A person brought a tray with two tea cups and a pot in, delivered her the tray and excused themselves. She elevated the ground to the hight of a tea table and placed the tray a top. “As a firebender closed to the Avatar,” She poured tea from the pot into both cups, “you must have experience the power of all the bendings. And,” she mulled over her words “the disparity between them, you could say.”

“I could say.” Replied Zuko, wondering where this winded speech is leading to.

The earth one seemed undignified. “What I want to say is, you have to realize how earthbending and firebending are far ahead in raw destructive power. Nonetheless,” she mused, “Earthbending was tethered to earth and soil. Even the inteference of metal would be enough to foil earthbending of the highest order.” Okay so this villain obviously never heard of Toph Beifong. Zuko felt quite at ease. Honestly, he wagered everyone would feel at ease too if an earhthbender capable of bending metal was their close friend and ally. “Firebending, on the other hand, lacked strength, and force.” He can feel Azula rolling her eyes without even looking at her. “Do you catch on yet, Fire Lord?”

He caught on that this woman didn’t quite in the favore of complementing her bending with material skills, which Sokka and Azula up there would be very disappointed by. “Uh, no?” Then again, some benders are just raised like that, horning their bending to perfection to the purpose of developing their bendings. A matter of traditions, he guessed.

“They make a perfect match.” The woman grumbled. “An army of the two? Indestructible.” Okay, Zuko was catching on. This is a very legitimate threat that he should register. There’re still a lot of loose ends though and he would like answers immediately. “I want an alliance, Fire Lord. My Earth tribe and your army.” She suggested. The tea poured was probably getting cold.

“That’s a reasonable proposal that you would have get across without kidnapping me here.”

The Earthbender squinted. “Please sleep on that reasonable proposal, Fire Lord Zuko. I would like my answer very soon.”

The two disappeared behing the dirt gate and Azula dropped down. “So this is really not a bit. Now that’s just pathetic. If it’s abit, it would have been dumb. But this is real, so it’s pathetic.” She sounded like she was laughing with her insults. “And they left you tea. What exquisite manners!” She gleered at the tray on the table and rolled her eyes. She turned her back against him.

“Wait” squeaked Zuko. “Stay.”

“What now?”

“uh, stay here. With me.”

Azula just turned back and shook her head like Zuko was just spouting inane. He only saw the outline of her back now and it seemed she was shuffling with her gears, whatever weapons she used now.

“Azula, please. I’m” Zuko hestitated “I’ll be very lonely.”

Zuko only saw Azula’s head ducked down for a while. It worked? Zuko was confounded. She pulled the muzzled from her mouth and turned towards him. It actually workded? She settled down in front of the table and draped her hand over the pot. She muttered something under her breaths that Zuko didn’t quite catch and he felt like it was a victory in his trails of failures uptil now.

“Quite a good proposal, yeah?” Zuko attempted.

“Earthbending and Firebending is complimentary, yes. I have been in the known. An earth tribe just serve themselves on a plate to our nation? Strangely good proposal. Earth shattering, even.” She splashed the content of the tea cup to the ground before pouring a new one.

“Maybe you shouldn’t drink that.”

“it’s safe.” Sniped Azula, all while bringing the cup to her mouth. “Those Earthbenders have good taste. Brewing leaves something to desire but the blend is quite fragrant.”

Zuko stared, “Maybe it has something to do with their tradition. They prefer their tea under-steeped sometimes.”

“And why is that?”

Zuko felt like only his instincts carry his brain ahead now. “Tea is not merely the taste of the tea but also the taste of the water used to brew it and how they complement each other. Some says Earthbenders taste tea completely different from others. Another rumor is that in Earth nations and Earth tribes, they underbrew their tea so the leaves would still have some taste and fragrant left when they return to the Earth.”

“Infantile. They give up drinking a delicious beverage for belief?” Azula sipped “Interesting.”

“Water tribes drink their tea with alcohol.”

“Disgusting.”

Zuko smiled dumbly as Azula enjoyed her tea. He ducked his head down.

“I just want the Fire nation to live in peace,” cried Zuko.

Azula shuddered a breath. That was unwarranted.

Zuko was still so weak, so fragile. Azula mused. She poured another cup. It began to feel like a long night.


	2. Chapter 2

Zuko didn’t quite cry. His heart was wrenched on the inside, and for Azula, that’s just as good as bawling his eyes out. It was quite a sight, thought Azula. She schemed and hunted tirelessly, throwing herself under a clift even. And all it took was for her to do nothing and just let the current blend Zuko’s weak mind into a pitiable paste.

Azula heard soft crackles, fire begging to be lit yet there are no release. Zuko had never been fit for the crown. Even, he was never fitted for it. Azula felt a surge of rage bleed through her skin and the air felt oddly chill. “If you decide to be miserable, I kindly recommend you mope on your own because this is unbecoming and wasting my precious time.” Azula stood herself. Zuko jerked up at the sound, his face contrained in anger and misery. “Wait, Azula. I-”

She waited. But the both of them knew that Zuko couldn’t choke out a coherent thought anymore. And what a conversation is without a partner?

Zuko wrangled his head in every direction, begging his lower body to move. He tried to shake the stump encaved him “Azula,” the plead dripped out of him everytime he tried and failed to free himself. Do you only know brute force? Thought Azula. She had to admit, the Earthbender capture him well. Azula strode near the stump and, in such close distance, the veins on Zuko’s neck af forehead as he struggled looked like they want to pop. He looked down right miserable. The Fire Lord throne ate him up and swallow him. Maybe she needn’t do naught and the throne will just simply, gradually shatter him, then she can come back and reclaim what’s hers.

Zuko caught a glance of her face, the silent challenge washed over her eyes. He struggled further. To no avail. “I though so,” Azula mumbled. She raised her muzzle. “Azula”

A loud rumble ripped from behind Zuko and the guard outsides sounded the bell in an instant. When they pooled inside the cave, only a flood of moonlight accompany the captured fire lord.

_

The problem with the Fire nation’s Palace was that Azula knew everything about it. It had changed rarely, a grave mistake on Zuko’s part. She slithered herself through the red column engulfed by silence and darkness. She used to see fire dance on the wall of this place and now Zuko turned it into an embarassing grave.

Azula dropped down from a tile in the practice room that she knew Zuko would prefer for his firebending as he had done prior to his little rebellion commotion. She cast her eyes around and allowed herself a tiny smirk, before squinting on-

No matter, scowled Azula. She navigated towards the more important rooms strategistically of the palace. Had Zuko thrown out the loyalists of their dad? Had the official system changed in any way?

A knife slit Azula’s muzzle before three more ripped the air, flying towards her. Mai was still Mai by and large and that made Azula’s blood boil. She unsheathed her own knives, should she continue her quest or favor an escape? No matter, Mai had indubitable grown stronger since they last meet and Azula can’t help but wonder how far.

Mai whipped her hand and even more of her annoying little knives come flying in Azula’s direction, forcing the intruder to leap into the air. Azula focused her gaze and, from the corner of her eyes, Mai was inches from her face and already with another knife come flying. Mai’s arms were crossed with a knife in each and Azula raised her own, ready to defend, the range between them had grown too close for Azula’s comfort. In a split second, Mai shuffled her knives into different fingers and flicked her wrists. An alarm sounded in Azula’s head. Mai flicked the knives to caught Azula’s right-side clothes into the wood column. Her hands shoot out but Azula would be nothing if she fell for the same trick twice. Her own hand caught Mai’s just centimeters away from her Chi.

“Azula?” Mai grumbled. Only then Azula realized she only had a bare cloth protecting her arms. “What are you doing here?” Azula remains silent, her grip on Mai’s hands not loosen one bit. “Did you take the Fire Lord?”

Azula chuckled at the inquiry. “What’s that you are asking? Where’s the Fire Lord?” Azula glared into Mai’s scowl

“WHERE’S YOUR LORD?” Azula roared.

Mai’s scornful look grew inspective. Maybe she was wondering if Azula’s sanity had gone to the deep end. Believe her, it had gone there. Only blessed bastards are born with sanity, whatever Azula had, she had to seek it her-damn-self. Azula let her gaze scan over her former ally. She would recognize a general attire anywhere. Mai looked good in it. Azula leaned in and Mai, seeing a change in her body movement, grew rigid. Mai looked brazenly into the intruder’s eye.

Azula pecked her temple. As she pulled away,she squeezed her eyes shut for a short moment. She apologized in her heart. But you’ll have to let me through, she excused herself silently. In her hand, Mai’s arms were no longer braved for attack. Azula held it. Mai’s cry ripped through the air, the place Azula was holding her hand now a throbbing red mess.

Azula rushed through her planned escape route and threw herself onto the highest roof of the palace. She scurried into a dark corner but, even after waiting minutes and the commotion underneath her feet died down, there was no discernible attack. She stood atop the highest point of the whole fire nation and she shoot her eye beyond the horizon. Azula grinned. Zuko was an idiot, brainwashed by that Avatar gang into a pathetic mess. He didn’t understand the greatness of a nation. When he saw that dark corner out there beyond the Fire nation’s wall, didn’t he think to expand this nation to that corner? Didn’t he think, she looked down into the palace, Didn’t he think to-

Azula squinted. She sighed and dropped down on the rooftop. She had left this place for so long, of course it would have changed. Azula closed her eyes, her whole body cocooned within itself as she begagn to let her mind wander. Azula still had the upperhand on the Fire nation’s army when it came to Zuko and she was confident that, with enough of her scheming, Azula can siege that Earthbender’s little camp along with Zuko. From there, she wagered she would be spoiled for choices. The key, as she had learnt, was speed. Maybe she should quit dawdling and get rid of Zuko finally. Azula looked down. Then finally, the Fire nation will be hers to rule and the world hers to conquer. And then, when Azula had dominated the world, she would-

Uh?

What would Azula do next?, wondered Azula. Okay, she would continue the age of machinations father had set out and cemented the nation so that no foes would dare to threaten its long reign. Then what? Then nothing, said mother. Azula whipped her head behind and there mother stood, in her royalty attire. No, Azula mumbled, no no no. She griped her head and brought it deep into her head. Her eye was drought and her hair hurt as she gripped her own head even tighter. I had grown out of you, Azula dared not to look back to that figure behind her. That was her downfall, her insanity, the her she most despised and loathed. So Azula begged, don’t force me back to being that. Azula whimpered, I don’t want to see you anymore. Azula was so very exhausted. But still she knew she couldn’t rest there. Her eyes welled. The buzzling light of the fire nation melted. She had to go.

\--

“Fire Lord, didn’t you know about the Coup Suppression tactics? Fire Lord, you must re-instate the army in the Southern border. We must cement the base there to secure our chance at the region further south. Fire Lord, without soldiers patrolling, the citizens _will_ be terrored. By a _former enemy,_ even. Fire Lord, don’t you see this? It’s blatant as day.”

“-“

It’s such a beautiful night, the moon full and bright, alone on the night sky. Perhaps.

“-“

“Do you think I should have done differently? Perhaps me trying my best was simply not enough and being stubborn merely deprived the nation of a better chance, _me_ , of a better chance.”

“-”

“What do you think?”

“-”

“-”

“I think that you should escape before they realize, dum dum.” The wall behind him sunk into the ground in a delicate silence. Toph stood, sneering. Zuko snickered. “Yes, of course.”

The three underlings tasked with guarding Zuko had dropped to the ground, snoring.

“And,” Toph waved her finger and pursed her lip, “You know I hate that stuff, I told you, remember?” Zuko remembered. Toph told him while they were looking for Aang. They should get a second stab at that.

Toph grabbed the dune entrapped Zuko and threw it behind. A flood of energy filled Zuko’s vein again. Toph waved at him from behind her back and Zuko just chuckled before following her through that giant hole and, he had to admit, it felt quite calm seeing Toph’s earthbending again. After they were off to quite a safe distance from that base, Zuko registered their location, quite close to the fire nation, in fact. He caught a bit of its light and the dying noise of the market forming around its gate from their position.

“So, where are you going to go now?” asked Toph. “Join my force and explore the world?”

Zuko just laughed, “Thanks for inviting me. But I’ll return to the Fire nation.”

Toph scowled, “You hated it there.”

Zuko didn’t reply for a while, so Toph gave him a few poke, just to make sure the guy was still well and standing. “I can’t abandon them, either.” Toph looked dejected.

“Thanks for rescuing me, Toph.” She mumbled something, then whistled as she reluctantly walked with him back in the fire nation’s direction. It was bright, like a lighthouse. Zuko thought he should share his observation, but Toph was blind. There must be a metaphor here and Zuko would have realized it if he was not an idiot.

\--

Azula laid her hand on the huge gap that hadn’t been there the last time she snuck in. The meticulous square layers on the wall and Zuko’s absence from that dune were just screaming the reality at her. His little gang with that blind earthbender had gotten to him. On the ground, three guards laid across each other, chest rising and sinking in a peaceful rhythm. She turned on her heel and shot her eye over the horizon. Azula weaseled her way here from the Fire Nation and she hadn’t caught the slightest sight of Zuko. So where would he have gone? Was he not coming back to the Fire Nation?

She had little doubt that, escorted by the Avatar gang, Zuko would return to the nation safe and sound. That is, if he wanted to. And he must, because he was the Fire Lord.

Further, in the event that Azula found Zuko before the army reached him, she would barely stand her ground against multiple skilled benders, the Avatar’s masters nonetheless.

Azula kicked the dirt under her shoes. Zuko was crumbling under the Fire Lord’s throne, the images of the practice room’s corners embedded in darkness flashing before her eyes. Azula may not get another such golden chance again, especially if that Avatar indoctrinated Zuko again with his ‘peace and harmony’ propaganda.

And, Azula feared, if she wouldn’t usurp her way to the Fire Palace, she may never again be able to walk among those red columns. She wiped the trace of tear starting to form. Fine, chasing a mouse, the fire nation’s crown princess was excellent at _everything_.

\--

“TOPH”

Toph barely heard her name yelled before getting tackled to the ground. “wh-what?” She smelled smoke near their area, and the damp soil was still scotching.

“Well hello Zuzu,” Azula settled on the ground. She glared at the sole Earthbender, “Now that’s just rude. When I returned to our rendezvous, you weren’t there at all, captured.”

Toph recognised that voice. It invoked a fight-or-flight instinct in her and she blamed Aang entirely. She squared herself up on the defense, waiting. At this point, Toph knew this was family business and she had better not interfere unless Zuko solicited. And zuko hadn’t done shit but tapping her shoulder softly, which felt like a request.

“And are my eyes deceiving me, or were you really not returning to your ruling in haste, Fire Lord?” spat Azula, ahead of them a sea of wood engulfed in darkness with the occaional tiny pools of moonlight. Zuko’s lips were pressed into a tight line. Did he forget how to speak? Perhaps or that stress had caused his brain to short circuit, Azula was convinced. She glared at the pair, prompting an answer that she should have learned that she wouldn’t receive anysoon.

She threw bolts of fire from each of her hand at the both of them. The Earthbender raised the soil to shield herself and Zuko merely jumped away. He glanced at his companion before fixing his gaze on Azula again. “What do you want?”

Azula just swung her arm and a fire snake pooled from her limb, shooting at Zuko alone. Zuko dodged, but with merely a jerk, Azula forced the fire to aim for him again in a split before blazing the tweaky branch he used to shield himself. Yet swatted with a huge branch and slit as it was, the fire maintained its force and the its tip still bore a deathly precision targetting Zuko’s every movement. “Not fighting back?” taunted Azula, “Where’s your firebending? The firebending that won you your throne?”

She retreated the fire, throwing her arms back and propelling herself to Zuko’s place. “Where’s it?” Still, Zuko was intent on jumping among the trunks like a monkey. She was blowing a short fuse here so, if Zuko landed on a rotten trunk and Azula caught that moment to fire at him, that would be nowhere her fault.

Zuko braced himself on the ground again. He only narrowly avoided Azula’s fire. She smirked and trutted to his side, “Or maybe, it has gone somewhere. Somewhere else,” muttured Azula, “Somewhere faraway.” But Azula barely finished her words before the ground right beneath her left foot rose. She clicked her tongue, jumping away, that earthbender. “I saw it. I saw through you, Zuko,” yelled Azula. “The firebending you trained so hard. It was done for.”

Zuko ducked his head, and that was all the confirmation that Azula needed.

The towers of target in that practice rooms, Azula imagined.

The towers were scotched, in the worst places possible. Some were smoldered beyond their capability, some barely charred, all indicating an erratic firebending that only the lowest kind of benders would have performed. She knew what their mentors would have said, what _dad_ would have said. That Zuko was a huge dissapointment, and she informed him so. Zuko didn’t even breath a word at her remark. “What’s that? No more wisdom about tea to offer me?”

Azula dropped onto the ground. She stood still, “Maybe before asking me what I want, ask yourself that.” She saw Zuko went back on the defense and the Earthbender, from the corner of her eyes, raised her hand a little. “You can’t rule it, and it’s killing you in return.”

Zuko stared. Azula continued, folding her arms high, “And, you know _I_ can.” Zuko knew, yes. “Zuko, I want to rule the Fire Nation. I ne-” Azula caught herself. “I need to return to the Fire Palace. I have to return.” She heard the Earthbender clicked her tongue. Zuko was mulling her words, Azula smirked to herself. He’s breaking.

“You should,” Zuko treaded over his words, “You should return home, I mean.” Azula wanted to spat, If only the act weren’t below herself. She opened her mouth, preparing to bark a retaliation before a chill running up her spine. Azula thought she saw a dim light glowing from behind her, in the farthest corner of her eyes. She didn’t dare turn back, “She’s here.” Azula murmured.

Zuko saw Azula’s face dropping, her whole body shivering in waves and pupils widened as if no longer looking for anything ahead. “Azula?”

“Look at her.” Growled Azula, “She chased me out, of my own home.”

Zuko looked at Toph, who was quite as confused, still not relaxing her stance. “Toph?” suggested Zuko.

Azula stared at him, a rare hint of plead in her eyes as she held her gaze with Zuko. “Let’s me return.”

“I do- I don’t” “It’s the Fire Lord.” Zuko heard a yell from behind his back. Behind his back, the Fire nation’s soldiers pooled into his vision. He turned to face them, his back shielding Azula’s shaken figure from their line of sight.

“Fire Lord, General Li here to escort you back to the Palace.” A general dropped down from the horseback. He steered his eyes to Toph, who was just skipping around now. “Unless,” he tentatively turned his attention back to Zuko “there is an issue with the Avatar and his bending masters.”

“No, no issue.”

“Then please return to the Palace with us. There have been quite a few matters requiring you judgment.” One of the soldier led a horse to Zuko’s side, prompting him to take leash. Zuko was still in his post.

“Fire Lord? I’m afraid we can’t dawdle. The table of Generals have already submitted their scrolls for new deployments, and,” he stared sideways before bridging the gap between them, “a few of their investigation into conspiring against the nation as well.”

Zuko looked. His eyelids were so heavy for a moment and he can feel Toph’s attention on him. He wondered if he just digged his feet into the ground a bit harder now. “I understand. Go ahead and inform others of my return. I will discuss some matters with the Earthbender master and follow right behind.”

The general seemed crestfallened. “Yes, my Lord.” He was resigned, jumping back on his horse before tracking back the road from where his troop came. In a moment, they followed their leaders and only left the sound of footstep and horse hooves behind. Zuko turned around. Azula was no longer there. Toph was, and she looked dejected. Zuko also thought she looked quite guilty but he couldn’t guess for what. “Thanks, Toph.” She didn’t reply. “Want to hitch a ride back to the Fire nation?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading this chapter everyone. I had no idea how to write action scenes. What kind of people are good writers anyway? It's already this hard writing a short fic. What did they trade to the devil to write so well?
> 
> btw, I'm desperate for a beta-reader/editor. Please message me if you can help. It would be greatly appreciated As always, I would love your thoughts and comments.


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